Valve attachment for torpedoes.



v No. 820,888.

PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

E. NIEHOFF.

VALVE ATTACHMENT FOR TORPEDOES.

APPLIOATIOHEILED MAY 9, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VALVE ATTACHMENT FOR TORPEDOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application filed May 9, 1904. Serial No. 207,142.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST NIEHOFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve At tachments for Torpedoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same- This invention relates to improvements in explosive projectiles, and partlcularly to torpedoes, and the object of the invention is to provide a suitable means for controlling the depthof the torpedo and the sinkin of the same at the proper time, together wit means for causing the explosion of the projectile after a suitable interval The invention also comprises an explosive projectile and means for causin the explosion thereof under the action of t e pressure of the water in which the projectile is moving.

The invention further comprises a traveling projectile, means for floating the same a suitable len th of time, and means for causing the exp osion of the torpedo comprising a valve mechanism and a firlng member controlled thereby, the said valve bein affected by the pressure of the water in whic the torpedo floats.

It also comprises certaln other novel constructions, comblnations, and arrangements of parts, as will be fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 i s a side elevation of a torpedo constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the central portion of the valve mechanism and the firing-pin controlled thereby. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalsectiohal view throu h the buoyant member of the tor edo Wit the valve and shield for contro ling the inlet of Water for sinking the torpedo. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the said buoyant member, showing the exterior of the valve-shield.

The present invention is desi ned for providing a torpedo with a simpfla means for floating and controlling the sinking thereof, the said mechanism being also ca able of causing the explosion of the torpe o in accordance with the pressure of the water in which the torpedo is sunk.

In the drawings I have illustrated a prac-' tical means of carrying out the features of this invention.

In the drawings,.1 re resents a torpedo, 2 a buoyant member, an 3 a valve member. The torpedo may be made in any desired form and is preferably provided with a suitably-operated pro eller 4 or other means by which it may be driven through the water. The torpedo 1 is suspended from the buoyant member 2 by suitable hangers or standards 5. The pressure of the Water in which the torpedo travels plays an important artin the operation of the device, and there ore the buoyant member is so constructed that the torpedo will be floated for a predetermined s ace of time and then be permitted to sink, the pressure of the water when at the proper depth 0 erating to cause the explosion of the project' e.

The construction of the float is quite simple. It preferably consists in a hollow closure either ofa cylindrical or other shape and closed at the ends. In the bottom of the float 2 is an opening guarded by an inwardlyprojecting tube 6. This tube is formed with a valve-seat upon its inner end, and a valve, as 7, is pivoted to the tube and engages the said valve-seat normall for preventing the passage of water throug the tube. The casin of the float also carries a shield, as 8, the shield consisting of an elongated metal piece preferably tapered from one end toward the other, as shown in Fig. 4. The closed narrower end of the shield is adjacent to the tube 6, while the wide flaring 0 en end of the shield is arranged at a suitab e distance from the tube. Theshield 8 forms avery shallow chamber between it and the lower wall of the buoyant member, so that when the tor edo is launched into the water the water wi 1 be retarded in its endeavor toenter the buoyant member. This retardation of the water is increased by the movement of the torpedo, the closed end of the shield 8 being toward the front of the torpedo, 'While the open end is at the rear. A small aperture 9 is formed in the buoyant casing 2 near the top thereof, so that as the water finally forces its way between the shield and the walls of the buoyant member and lifts the valve 7 the air contained in the buoyant member will have a means of escape, and the Water can thus gradually fill the buoyant member, causing the gradual sinkin of the torpedo at the proper time. water the pressure of the water Wlll of course increase in proportion to the depth attained, and when the torpedo has been lowered in As t e torpedo sinks in the IIO the water a sufficient distance 'the pressure will reach a sufficient strength to operate the torpedo-exploding mechanism.

The means for producing the explosion of the torpedo consists principally in a pressureactuated valve and a firing-pin carried by the member 3. This member consists in a hollow sectional casing which is preferably located in a vertical position in the upper part of the torpedo 1.

The position of the valve mechanism with respect to the torpedo is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The casing of the valve member 3 is preferably made in two sections 10 and 11. The section 11 is formed with external threads 12, by which it may'be screwed into position in the threaded aperture formed in the torpedo-casing 1. Inside the casingsection 10 is mounted a sliding valve 13, which is hollow for the greater portion of its length and receives a.coiled spring engaging the valve, while the other end rests against the floor or partition 15, formed near one end of the casing-section 10. Mounted in this casing-section also area plurality of springarms or grippers 16. These spring-arms are secured to the casing-section 10 near one end thereof, and their free ends project through apertures formed in the partition 15 at their other ends and extending a short distance beyond the casing-section 10. The end of the section 10 which is adjacent to the section 11 is reduced in size and threaded, the said reduced end engaging a threaded annular socket 17, formed in the adjacent end of the section 11. The section 11 is made hollow, the bore thereof extending through it from end to end. Mounted in the bore of this section is a firing-pin 18, which is preferably hollow and is formed with an annular recess 19 upon its inner end, which is engaged by the inturned gripping ends of tlie spring-arms 16. When the firing-pin 18 is forced into the casing a sullicient distance to engage the said spring-arms, a spring 20, which is inserted within the firing-pin 18, will be considerably compressed, as shown in Fi 2, and its stren th is such that when the firing-pin is release it will force the same outwardly with considerable power. The outer end of the casing 10, which isarranged flush with the outer surface of the torpedo, is closed by means of a cap or plug 21. The said plug is provided with a series of perforations or passage-ways 22, which pass through it, admitting exterior pressure to the interior of the casing-section 10.

The operation of the mechanism is somewhat as follows: When the torpe'doislaunched, its propelling mechanism of course is set in motion, and the buoyant member 2 will float the torpedo for a considerable length of time. While the torpedo is thus held near the surface of the water, the pressure thereof Will not be sufficient to overcome the strength of the spring 14. After a suitable length of time has elapsed the gradual filling of the buoyant member 2 with water will cause the whole structure to gradually descend in the water. The pressure of the water as it enters the passages 22 and engages the end of the valve 13 will increase with the depth of the water, and when the pressure is suflicient to force the valve inwardly in the casing-section 10 the said valve will spread the inner ends of the spring gripping-arms 16', and thus release the iiring-pin 18. A percussion-cap or other suitable explosive agent is so placed within the torpedo as to be struck by the firing-pin when it is forced out of the casing 11 by means of the compressed spring 20. It will be thus seen that the explosion ofthe torpedo is made dependent on the degree of pressure exerted upon valve 13. It will also be seen that the degree of pressure exerted upon said valve is controlled automatically by the floating and sinking of the toredo through the action of the buoyant member, together with its valve and shield, as above described.

The construction of the parts forming the novel features of this invention is exceedingly simple, and the apparatus is automatic in its action and dependent upon the pressure exerted by the Water in which the torpedo is launched.

It will be evident that the details of construction may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I contemplate employing the valve mechanism above described in connection with any kind of a marine projectile, for when such a valve is applied to any shell of any kind if the shell falls short of its mark and drops into the water it will not be lost, for when it reaches a given depth the valve mechanism will cause its ex losion.

Having now escribed the nature of my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A firing device comprising a casing, firing means arranged therein, a spring govern ing the o eration of said firing means, and means a apted to be wedged into engagement with said spring for effecting a release of the firing means for permitting operation thereof.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with an explosive projectile, and means for temporarily maintaining said rojectile buoyant, and for permitting sinknig at the conclusion of the temporary buoyancy, of means for exploding said projectile, and means adapted to be operated by the pressure of the surrounding water for controlling the operation of said exploding means.

3. A firing device comprising a firing-pin, means for throwing the same into a firing (position a laterally-movable spring arrange at one side of said firing-pin, a hook carried by said spring normally engaging said pin for retaining the same against operation, and pressure-governed means for releasing said 7 spring.

4. A firing device comprising a casing, a firing-pin longitudinally movable therein, a spring arranged longitudinally Within said casing, means for throwing said pin, means carried by said spring normally engaging said pin for preventing the throwing thereof, and pressure-governed means for moving said spring laterally for releasing said pin.

5. A firing device comprising a casing, a firing-pin arranged therein, means for throwing said firing-pin to a firing position, an annular groove being formed in said pin, springs arranged longitudinally of said casing and formed with hooks normally extending into said groove, and pressure-operated means for pressmg said springs for removing the hooks from the groove.

6. A firing device comprising a casing, a firing-pin arranged Within, meansfor throwing said pin for producing a firing operation venting such movement of said slide, means engaged by said slide when moved longitudina ly for releasing said pin, and means for throwing said pin for accom lishing an igniting operation thereof when t e pin is released.

8. A firing device comprising a casing, firing means arranged therein, springs govern in the operation of said firing means, and a va ve adapted to be wedged between said sprin s when subject to pressure for releasing said ing means.

9. A firing device comprising a casing, fir- .ing ineans arranged therein, a spring extending longitudinally of said casing, and acting laterally fpr retaining said firing means out of operation, and means designed to be moved by pressure into engagement with said spring for moving the same laterally to a position for releasing said-firing means.

10. An explosive projectile comprising a firing member, gripping means engaging the same from op osite sides, and a valve member capable o spreading the gripping means when submitted to a given pressure.

11. A firing device comprising a casing, firing means arranged therein, springs extending longitudinally of said casing, and

acting laterally for retaining said firing means out of operation, and pressure-governed means adapted to be moved longitudinally of the sprmgs between the same for spreading the same apart and releasing said firing means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature in presence of two w'tnesses.

, ERNEST IEHOFF. Witnesses:

ELLIS LEWIS GARRETSON,

O. D. GARRETSON. 

